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Mongolians protest in Ulaanbatar in September 2020 against China’s plan to introduce Mandarin-only classes at schools in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. Photo: AFP

Xi Jinping signals bigger role for China in global fight against terror

  • Chinese president tells top officials to root out ‘poisonous thoughts of ethnic separatism and religious extremism’
  • Warning is a rebuff to international allegations of human rights abuses, observers say
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping has for the first time sent a stern warning at a national ethnic affairs conference to step up the global fight against terrorism, signalling China will redouble efforts against extremism.

Wrapping the first conference of its kind in seven years, Xi told the attendees on Saturday to “firmly prevent major risks and hidden dangers in ethnic affairs”, according to state news agency Xinhua.

“[We] should hold the ground of ideology. [We] should actively and steadily address the ideological issues that involve ethnic factors, and continue to eradicate poisonous thoughts of ethnic separatism and religious extremism,” Xi was quoted as saying.

“International anti-terrorism cooperation should be also intensified, working with major countries, regions, international organisations and overseas Chinese ethnic minorities.”

China fires back at ‘shameless’ US over Xinjiang human rights abuse claims

Li Wei, a researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the warning meant China would ramp up its international efforts to combat terrorism.

“Ethnic separatism and religious extremism are the ideological bases of terrorism and they are the main dangers faced by the international community,” Li said.

“Most countries are multi-ethnic and the dangers of terrorism and separatism are more obvious. We should cooperate internationally on these fundamental problems,” he said, adding that China had made major gains against such forces.

03:11

Mongolians fear loss of languages as China pushes Mandarin at school

Mongolians fear loss of languages as China pushes Mandarin at school

The two-day work conference was attended by leaders of the party, legislature, and the political advisory body, including all seven members of the Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee.

It focused on “forging a sense of community of the Chinese nation” and called on members of ethnic minorities to put the interests of the Chinese nation first.

The conference comes as Beijing faces criticism from the West over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
Last month, European Union lawmakers called for EU officials to skip the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics unless China improved human rights throughout the country, including in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
Beijing denies all allegations of human rights abuse in these regions and says the security measures in Xinjiang are needed to counter extremism and terrorism.

01:50

China claims improved living standards and ethnic equality in Xinjiang while ignoring allegations

China claims improved living standards and ethnic equality in Xinjiang while ignoring allegations

Observers said the work conference was a reaction to the West’s allegations over human rights and minority issues.

Xie Maosong, senior researcher at the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the conference was the culmination of the party’s experience in ethnic affairs in recent years.

“The United States started the trade war against China in 2018, followed by a tech war and an ideological war, including allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang,” Xie said.

“A sense of community within the Chinese nation can help us face the country’s rivalry with the United States. It is about national security and national stability, and we should not let that affect our development.”

China has also come in for international criticism over its push to assimilate members of ethnic minorities, including pursuing Mandarin-language education in minority regions.

Protests erupted in the northern region of Inner Mongolia last year when authorities urged schools to shift instruction in three subjects from Mongolian to Mandarin.

It highlighted the long-standing difficulties officials on the ground have in finding a balance between ethnic autonomy and a shared national identity.

The conference underlined the need to promote Mandarin as well as to protect the languages of all ethnic groups and guarantee the use of these languages.

Gu Su, a political scientist at Nanjing University, said the challenge was putting those principles into practice.

“It is still a problem on how to balance the common interest of the Chinese nation and respect minorities’ identities,” Gu said.

“The question is whether local authorities can balance the two in the implementation.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Xi urges bigger role for China in global battle against terror
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